Now that the growing season has begun, our local farmers’ market is back outside on its weekly schedule. Yay. Last week I got the most beautiful radishes – dark red, pure white and tomato red.

As I looked through the various bunches of radishes on the market table, I asked for one that had the best looking leaves because I wanted to cook with them. You wouldn’t have believed the reaction. The young really hip-looking vendors both looked a bit doubtful and I think they thought I was completely out of my mind.

he:(wide-eyed) You can eat the leaves?!

me: Yes. They’re wonderful.

she: Really?! (trying to mask look of horror)

me: Yes, they’re great in an omelette.

We looked through the bunches and chose the one with the nicest looking radishes and almost the nicest looking leaves. (Apparently, flea beetles have been a problem and are eating little holes in the leaves.) I still can’t quite tell if after I bought my bunch of radishes that they believed radish leaves were edible.

Surprisingly, even though they looked so beautiful, the radishes themselves were just a little disappointing. They were a little too sharp tasting – not quite enough residual sweetness. However, all was not lost. I still had the greens….

I WAS going to make an omelette out of them.

After playing in the garden, admiring newly transplanted herbs and being thrilled that tarragon actually survived the weird winter (our mint didn’t!!), I had about 20 minutes to throw together a quick pasta dish for dinner.

I rummaged through the fridge to see what was there, grabbing a little piece of brie, some left-over roast chicken, half a head of broccoli, the jar of grainy mustard and oven-dried tomatoes from last September. And I thought I’d have a few crisp radishes on the side. And suddenly, even though there was clearly plenty there already, I decided to use the radish greens too.

And as I was cooking the onions, I made another sudden change in direction. I sliced the radishes very very thinly and threw them into the pan.

Here’s what I did:

Penne with Radish Leaves and Broccoli
(PPN special using whatever was in the fridge)

olive oil

onions, sliced thinly

chili flakes

radishes, thinly sliced

cider vinegar

radish leaves

grainy mustard

oven dried tomatoes

fresh tarragon

penne

broccoli

roast chicken, chopped coarsely

brie

meyer lemon oil

black pepper

Fill a large pasta pot with water and set it over high heat.

On another burner, in a large frying pan, heat olive oil. Add onions and chili flakes and cook them at medium heat until the onions are starting to turn gold. While the onions are cooking, wash the radish leaves and chop them coarsely. Set the radish leaves aside.

Add radish slices and a small splash of vinegar (to hold the colour on the radish slices) to the pan and cook for about a minute.

Add the radish greens and cook until they wilt.

Stir in oven-dried tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds more.

Stir in tarragon leaves and immediately remove from heat. Set aside as you cook the penne. (If you’re really in a hurry, put the penne in to cook as soon as the water boils.)

Cook penne in well-salted boiling water for as long as it takes to make it al dente. (Our penne takes about 13 minutes to cook completely.)

Add the broccoli to the penne about 3 minutes before the penne will be cooked through.

When they are done, drain pasta and broccoli.

Put the radish/onion mixture pan back on the heat. Dump the cooked pasta, broccoli and roast chicken in and gently toss until everything is coated with oil.

Put pasta into heated bowls. Place a slice or two of brie on top of each bowl. Drizzle with Meyer lemon oil. Grind some black pepper overtop.

I’m afraid I completely forgot to take a photo of the radishes with their tops still on. I seem to be going through posting doldrums. I’ve got dozens of ideas for posts and photos to go with them. But I find myself entirely unable to focus. I start one post and get distracted by another. Then I’m just distracted. Maybe I’ll grow out of it.

In the meantime, I think I’ll go down to the kitchen and smell the lilacs wafting in from the kitchen window. Yes, that’s the sort of distraction I’d like now.

this looks like a great recipe. I love broccoli, but it may be a hard sell for the kids

I don’t know why this would be a problem, unless it’s maybe the brie. In which case, just leave it out of the kids’ dishes. No sense in wasting good brie on them if they don’t like it. -ejm

http://wheat-free-meat-free.blogspot.com Rachel

Glad to learn about radish leaves in this tasty post. Thanks for sending this over to Presto Pasta Nights this week. Look for the roundup on Friday.

I should have thought to toss this in rice vermicelli for your site, Rachel. I’m just guessing but I think it would work brilliantly with rice noodles instead of penne. And it would be even faster to prepare! -Elizabeth

http://feedingmaybelle.blogspot.com maybelles mom

Ah, I love radishes, you know. And, this is a great way to eat them.

I love radishes now too, MM. (Didn’t always) And cooking them is a really good way to improve inferior radishes. They become a little sweeter rather than just bitter. -EJM

http://onceuponafeast.blogspot.com Ruth

Radishes were always my Dad’s favorite and we’d turn up our noses. Now my three year old grandson makes radish pizza with his playdough. I’m not sure if he’s ever actually tasted a radish but now I’m going to buy a bunch – with wonderful greens attached and whip up some pasta. Thanks for sharing this dis with Presto Pasta Nights.

I used to loathe radishes too, Ruth. They were too hot for me. But now I adore them. Do try this – I know you’re not eating pasta right now but the sauce would be delicious on its own. I can’t get over how good radish greens are and am kicking myself that I used to compost them. -Elizabeth

http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/ Joanne

I’ve never thought to use radishes like this before but what a delicious meal!

I hope you get a chance to try it soon, Joanne. Just a word of caution, it only really works with young radish leaves. The old leaves get a bit furry and tough tasting. -Elizabeth

http://thyme2.typepad.com katie

I roasted some radishes the other night – I have a glut right now from the garden, and they were wonderful! And so pretty! But, though I know one can eat the tops, I haven’t done that yet. I was planning on omelet this week, hmmmmm. Mon mari loves radishes, and it’s one of the few crunchy things he can snack on during the day, so they are mostly for him… But, I’ve been slicing them for salads and veg stir-ins. I both love and hate a glut of veg!